The Old Rochester Regional School District is engaging a grant program that would magnetize Junior High School students’ cell phones via a special pouch as a means of upgraded security and creating the potential of limited usage during school hours at select locations in the building.
In its first public meeting of the new academic year on September 7, the ORR School Committee reviewed and voted to accept a $13,020 grant that will try out the technology on a pilot basis for the 2023-24 academic year.
According to current policy, ORR Junior High District students are not allowed to use their phones during school hours. ORR High School students have their own policy and are not part of this pilot program.
“It’s not opt-in, opt-out,” clarified Junior High Principal Silas Coehlner, who added there would be limited exceptions. “They’re not supposed to be checking their phones at all. They power them down and put them in their locker.”
Citing the distraction of 88 cell-phone infractions during the 2022-23 school year, Coehlner pitched the technology to the committee after reading up on eight schools in Massachusetts that have received the grant and also schools in New York. He cited data from 900 subscribing schools, 65% of which reported improvement in academic performance, 74% in student behavior and 83% in student engagement in the classroom.
With the program, students receive a Yondr-brand pouch for their phone that locks via a magnetic device. The devices cost $20 each. The school building will have magnetic stations where, with potential policy changes, phones could be used for limited periods of time. An implementation schedule will be developed.
Joe Pires’ was the lone dissenting vote against accepting the grant. During discussion, Pires suggested that students should not have to wait until the end of the day to access their phones. Matthew Monteiro asked about emergency scenarios and if the pouch could be cut open. Coehlner suspects it could, being made of a Velcro-based material.
Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson clarified that the administration will work with school committees on all matters relating to implementation and potential amendments to policy.
The Town of Acushnet recently reached out to ORR about the possibility of having its high school students pay tuition to attend ORRHS. Other than vocational and private high schools, Acushnet students currently choose between attending Fairhaven or New Bedford high schools. The committee voted to authorize Nelson to meet with Acushnet administrators to discuss a partnership and report back to the committee for feedback.
Citing the end of school on June 10 and several meetings scheduled during the final week, the committee voted unanimously to revise its meeting schedule and push back the June 6, 2024, meeting to June 12.
In her Chairperson’s Report, Michelle Smith welcomed back the committee and thanked administration and staff for their work in preparing the facilities, as seen during a committee tour.
In his Principal’s Report, Mike Devoll publicly acknowledged the initiative of ORR’s Class of 1988 in its creation of a nonprofit Alumni Association that will participate in and support ORR events this year.
In his Central Office Report, Nelson took the committee through a sample tour of the district’s upgraded website and noted that ORR schools began the 2023-24 school year fully staffed.
ORR Administration recognized some milestone achievements at the high school, as Registrar Kelly Bertrand reached 25 years of service and World Language Teacher Diane Palombo-Gomes reached 20 years.
Jean Arruda (lead cook), Michael Bauer (lead Maintenance), Ellen Camacho (Payroll/Accounting), Michael Devoll (principal), Yvette Randall (cook), Seth Bushnell (Social Studies teacher), administrative assistants Aimee Fox and Jennifer Irwin, Michael Linane (Technology Education teacher) and Lindsay Tallman (Social Studies) all reached 15 years of service.
Matthew Houde (Technology Support specialist), Shiloah Major (Maintenance) and administrative assistants Kimberly Read and Cris Salvador each reached 10 years of service.
At ORRJH, Special Education Teacher Paula Cavanaugh and Music Teacher Mary Angela Vaughn reached 25 years. Social Studies Teacher Daniel McEvoy and Instructional Assistant Andrea Shaw both reached 20 years of service and English Teacher Nathan Orie hit the 10-year plateau.
New staff for the 2023-24 academic year was recognized: Kristine Lincoln, interim director of Student Services; Teah Keogh, English Language Learning specialist; Christopher Carrig, athletic director/campus aide; Hannah Long, World Language teacher (Latin); Emma Fenton, Special Education Transition teacher; Carolyn Ross, ISP teacher; Latin Teacher Hannah Long and six instructional assistants, Caitlin Lavoie, Aaron Strothers, Brittany DeMedeiros, Laurie Cunningham, Liam MacCurtain and Caroline Murphy.
The following staff retirements and resignations were also recognized: Craig Davidson, director of Student Services; Kathy Dranchak, ELL specialist; Rebecca Okolita, Special Education Transition teacher; Crystal Gendreau, Special Education teacher (Grade 8); Kevin McCarthy, and instructional assistants Paul Guilbeault, Jonathan Nogueira, Kate Souza, Darren Gray, Shane DeSousa, Collin Melo and Carol Regan.
Michael Bean transitioned from Special Education teacher (ISP) to (Grade 8), and Bill Tilden’s transition from his longtime position as athletic director/campus aide to groundskeeper will allow him to replace Cindy Tilden as the main coach of ORR’s cross-country and track teams.
In other business, the committee heard introductory Finance and Food Service reports from Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber.
The committee also voted to accept a $500 donation from the Emma Whittaker Fund. According to Devoll, the donation will support the social workers’ efforts.
The School Committee voted 7-2 to elect the following representatives to the Equity Subcommittee for the 2023-24 school year: Frances-Feliz Kearns (Mattapoisett), Margaret McSweeny (Marion) and Matthew Monteiro (Rochester.)
The school year’s first meeting of the Joint School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, September 28, and the next meeting of the ORR School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, October 12. Both meetings will be held at 6:30 pm at the Junior High Media Room and accessible via Zoom.
ORR School Committee
By Mick Colageo